The Wild Rose
by Lostchild511
Summary: What if Erik and Christine knew each other as kids. based mostly off of kays novel with elements of the musical and 2004 film.
1. Chapter 1

Part 1

"Papa, where are we going? Why isn't Mama coming with us?"

Daa'e looked down at his six year old daughter and fought back the urge to cry. He could not find it in his heart to tell her of her mother's passing.

"Papa?" Christine asked again, noticing how sad he had suddenly become.

"Your mother is always with us Christine. You must understand that, even when she is not here, she's standing before you," Daa'e said.

"Oh," was all Christine said. As the coach hit a bump in the road, she had no idea what her father meant.

"As for where we are going, we are going to an old friend of mine, who has been kind enough to let us stay with her."

Christine asked happily, "Is she the lady you and Mama knew at the opera?

"Yes, my dear. Madame Destler has been alone for several years. She doesn't like to be bothered, so do not pester her too much."

"I promise," Christine said.

The coach came to a stop outside a dirty, poorly-kept house, with ivy growing up its side, and a big dead oak tree reaching up to just the tip of the attic window.

Christine shivered as she looked upon her new home. She had heard about haunted houses before but she had never seen one. Daa'e was just as surprised. Why was Madeline's house so filthy? He silently scolded himself on judging the house so quickly.

Christine happened to look up at the attic window just as her father knocked at the door. Suddenly, a small face appeared in the window, looking straight down at her.

Christine gasped and said, "Papa, papa there was someone in the window! A boy right up there! Look!" Christine pointed, but the face was gone.

"Christine, calm down. It was probably just a trick of the light," Daa'e said softly he knocked again at the door. This time, the door opened to reveal a plain redhead in fairly bland garments.

Daa'e took off his hat and said, "Is Madam Destler home?"

The redhead looked behind her and said, "Madeline, your guests are here." For some reason, the young lady sounded sarcastic when she spoke.

"I am truly sorry, sir, if I sound rude, but who are you?"

"Oh," Daa'e said suddenly, "I am an old friend of Madeline's. I am Gustave and this is my daughter Christine."

"Marie," a voice suddenly said from the parlor. "Stop pestering them and let them inside!"

Marie said to them, "Come inside. I was just having some tea with Madeline."

Gustave and Christine entered the parlor with Marie and Gustave proceeded to sit across from a lovely raven haired woman. Marie sat next to Madeline, who was first to notice Christine.

"Hello," Madeline crooned. "Who are you?

"I am Christine," she said, peeking out from her father's shoulder.

"How sweet," Madeline said. "I had a son, Christine. He would have probably been just three years older than you are now."

Marie looked, for some reason, like she wanted to scream into a pillow. She stood and said, "Madeline, may I speak with you in the kitchen?"

When the two had left, Gustave asked, "So Christine, do you like it here?"

Christine said truthfully, "Not really. They're not very nice to each other."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Christine could not sleep, ever since her and her papa had come to live with Madeline a month before. She had been scared of the woman from the start.

Christine could tell that her papa was worried for Madeline, due to the worry lines starting to appear under his eyes. Christine giggled at the memory of her mother telling her it was just Papa's old man face, but instead of getting angry, her papa would just laugh along with them.

Christine sighed at the happy memory as she gazed at the crescent moon outside her window.

All of a sudden, the sweetest sound Christine had ever heard entered the room and Christine scratched her bushy head in curiosity.

It was the sound of a heavenly violin playing. "But it can't be Papa," she said aloud. "He is sleeping right next door."

In addition, she realized in a shock natural for a small child that this mysterious musician was far better than her papa.

Ever so quietly, she eased her way into the hallway and followed the haunting sound to the attic stairs. Christine had always been terrified of the dark, and the attic was pitch black! But curiosity out won her fear. _Plus,_ Christine thought, shaking her head at her foolishness, _I have a candle to lead my way._

Slowly and silently she made her way up the stairs until she reached a small door where she could hear the full sounds of heaven's music on the inside and the sound of someone crying.

Christine peeked into the room to see the back of a small boy holding a violin to his chin and Sasha, Madeline's spaniel, lying at his feet. From what Christine could see, the boy had jet black hair and was incredibly thin and tall for someone obviously so young.

The boy stopped to wipe the tears from his eyes and Christine blurted out, "Please don't stop playing! That was beautiful!"

The boy froze up and spun around and Christine gasped at what she saw. The boy was wearing a full white mask that surrounded pink lips and glowing golden eyes. The boy seemed to understand her shock and pulled her into the room, closing the door behind her.

Christine was scared when the boy held her arm in a vise grip and said in a angelic voice, "What are you doing in here?" When Christine didn't answer, he let go of her arm and said quietly to himself, "If she knows the girl knows about me, she will beat me till I am blind!"

Christine wrinkled her nose and asked "Who is 'she'? What do you mean if I knew about you? Who are you?"

The boy gave her a sideways glance and Christine was under the impression that this boy thought she was stupid. The boy sat down on a cot that served as his bed and motioned for her to sit. She did so, folding her arms across her chest giving her the look of a spoiled child not getting her way.

The boy had to smile at this and thought,_ She's kind of cute, in an annoying way_.

The boy sighed and said, "My name is Erik Destler. I am Madeline's son."

Christine stared at him, shocked, and said, "You're Madelines son? But she said to Papa and me when we came here that you had gone to heaven when you were born."

Erik sighed and said, "She says that to everyone who comes to stay, except Marie Pruette. She knows the truth and always argues with my mother to admit it and give this act a rest."

Christine pondered over this for a second and thought,_ So that's why they were arguing when me and Papa came here! Marie was annoyed with Madeline over Erik's existence!_

Christine looked at Erik and said, "My name's Christine. You should know your mother scares me, and now I know how awful she really is." Christine slowly touched Erik's hand in comfort and said, "Is that why you were crying?"

Erik at first looked shocked that she willingly touched him. Then he lied defensively, saying, "I was _not_ crying! I, uh, I had something in my eye!"

Christine smiled, showing pearly white baby teeth and said sarcastically, "Okay, I believe you."

Without warning, Christine looked at a clock in the corner and said, "What time is it? Papa promised to teach me how to tell time, but lately he has been too busy to teach me."

Erik took one look at the clock and replied, "It's 6:47 AM."

Christine jumped up all of a sudden and said, "Oh no! I have to go to sleep! Me and Papa are going to the local fair at 8:30 AM and he said to get plenty of sleep!"

She rushed to the door but turned back to Erik and said, "I promise not to tell on you. I would never do that. I'll come back soon!"

With that, she rushed out the door.

Erik and Sasha climbed into bed, the old spaniel nudging his feet with her furry head.

Christine and Erik both had the same smiles on there faces as they drifted off to sleep_**.**_

_**I decided to kind of start out Erik and Christine's relationship as boy meets girl, girl thinks boys cute, boy finds girl cute but is too proud to admit it kind of thing. I tried to make this chapter longer too. Please R&R.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

Christine bathed and dressed in her favorite yellow dress and ran out to meet her father by the horses.

Gustave smiled and said, "Christine, every day you grow to look just as beautiful as your mother."

Christine gave him a dimpled smile and they were off to the fair.

At the fair, there were more people than Christine expected in such a small town, and they were all laughing and dancing and singing songs in absolute merriment.

Christine held onto her papa's hand in fear and said, "Papa, there are too many people here!"

Gustave just smiled at his daughter and said, "Yes, Christine, and they will soon be praising your voice."

Gustave slowly started to play a song on his violin, and as Christine sang along to it, more and more people came over to listen.

At the end of the evening, as Gustave began putting his instrument away, a small voice yelled out, "Christine! Monsieur Daae!"

Christine recognized the voice and said, "Raoul, is that you?"

A young boy with shoulder length blonde curls and forget-me-not blue eyes smiled at her and said, "Who did you think it was?"

Christine's mind suddenly turned to Erik, all alone in his attic room, and she felt disappointed that it was not him and guilty for not thinking of him all evening.

Raoul's smile vanished and he felt a twinge of jealousy as he saw the disappointed look on her face.

"Well, well, my young pupil, how is your violin practice going, Raoul?" Gustave asked merrily.

"Not very good, Monsieur Daae. You're much better than I will ever be."

Raoul shot Christine another boyish smile, and she blushed as he said, "Christine was wonderful, Monsieur Daae. I always wondered where she learned to sing like that."

"Well her mother and I met when she was Prima Donna for a Swedish opera house, so she gets it naturally, isn't that right, Christine?"

Christine smiled and nodded her head and said innocently, "Mama says music comes from your heart. It's something that can't be taught with books. It can only be improved with them."

Gustave hugged his daughter affectionately and said, "It's getting late, Raoul. Christine and I should be getting home now. Are your parents with you?"

"No," Raoul sulked. "My parents were busy so I had my governess bring me."

"Oh," Christine said. "You mean your nanny?"

Raoul's ears turned an adorable shade of pink as he said, "She is NOT my nanny," but Gustave and Christine had already left.

As soon as Christine and Gustave arrived at Madeline's cottage, they heard screaming coming from the inside and Christine got a bad feeling in the pit of her belly.

Madeline held a frying pan in her hand and was threatening to throw it at Erik's poor head when they got inside.

Christine ran to Erik and Sasha who were hiding under the table.

Gustave shouted, "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"

Madeline continued to rant and rave. "HE AND MY DAMN DOG ATE A WHOLE BOX OF CANDY AND THEN THREW UP ALL OVER MY NEW RUG!

Christine shouted in defiance, "LEAVE HIM ALONE! YOU'RE A WICKED WOMAN AND A TERRIBLE MOTHER! HE IS YOUR SON! DON'T YOU LOVE HIM AT ALL?"

The whole room went quiet and Madeline and Gustave said in unison, "WHAT?"

Madeline said to Christine, shocked, "You knew about him all along?"

Gustave said to Madeline, "This is your dead son Erik? Madeline, how could you lie to me like that?"

Madeline snarled, "He is an ugly little beast he doesn't deserve to live!"

Gustave glared at Madeline and said, "Christine, pack your things. We're leaving at dawn!"

"Papa," Christine said in tears. "We can't just leave him with her; she is terrible to him!"

Gustave smiled and hugged Christine. "Don't fret little one. He will come with us!"

_****_

_**I was inspired to put a young Raoul in the story, even though I hate his guts and this is a E/C story someone suggested I put a "Mini Raoul" in the story and I liked the idea, so thank you for the idea.**_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Erik could not believe what he had just heard. This man, who knew nothing about him, just said he would give him the freedom he so desperately wanted!

Madeline was the first to regain her voice. "Gustave, you cannot possibly want him! He's horrible to look at! Your daughter would not be so keen to protect that beast if she saw what was underneath that mask!"

Gustave took one look at Erik's masked face and whispered in Christine's ear, "Christine, remember how your mother and I told you not to judge a book by its cover?" Christine nodded her head, and her father added, "Well, whatever the boy looks like, stay silent or he willhave to stay here. Understand?"

Christine nodded again, though she really was too young to understand.

"Erik," Gustave said, bending down to meet his eyes (even though Erik was up to his chest). "Christine and I both swear on music itself that we will never react the way your mother does if you don't wear the mask. If you really want to leave, you're going to have to trust us, okay?"

Erik knew what he was asking and he knew his witch of a mother was right: if even she could not love him, how could Christine father do so? But something about this man seemed to give Erik hope in his kind words.

Slowly, much to Madeline's shock, Erik closed his eyes and nodded to Gustave, who slowly peeled off Erik's mask.

Erik heard Christine gasp and he felt the blood rush to his skeleton cheeks.

Suddenly Erik felt something restricting his movements and he heard a giggle. He looked down to see Christine hugging him, saying, "It's okay, Erik. You can cry but I don't think it's as bad as she says."

Erik looked at Gustave, who was just smiling and he started to cry for the first time since his fifth birthday, but this time he wept for joy!

Madeline started crying, too, and she said, weeping, "You can't take him away, you just can't!"

"Madeline," Gustave said, attempting to comfort her, but she shrank from his touch.

"He is the only thing I have left of my Charles! Please don't take him away!"

Christine looked at the woman angrily and said "If you love Erik so much, why did you abuse him like you did? I bet if his papa were here, he would love him more than you!"

Madeline looked at Erik and Erik said, "You never even gave me a kiss on my fifth birthday, Mother. Remember? One for now and one to save for later."

Madeline, realizing this was a battle she could not win, went over to her son and kissed his unmasked forehead, much to Erik's surprise, and she said truthfully, "Just promise me one day you'll come back to see me, my son."

Erik looked at Gustave and the tearfully grinning Christine and he said, "I promise, Mother."

Madeline looked at Sasha, who was still under the table and said, "Are you going with Erik or staying here?" Sasha just wagged her tail and hopped over to Erik as Madeline grimaced and said, "Of course you'd leave."

As soon as dawn was upon them the next day. Gustave had hired a small coach since the dog could not ride a horse and Erik had never ridden one before, but Gutave promised to teach him.

Madeline stood in the doorway with Marie Pruett. Marie could not contain herself and told Erik, "You are a wonderful boy! Never forget that your father would have loved you so much! I am proud to at least be your aunt."

She threw her arms around Erik and Erik turned to his mother, saying, "I know you always loved me, Mother, you just did not know how to show it. I will keep my promise, though, because you still owe me another kiss."

Madeline wept, saying, "Just go. Just get out of here and take that damned animal with you."

Erik, Gustave, Christine, and Sasha got in the coach and left the Rouen, unsure where the road would lead them next.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Erik had been traveling with Christine and her father, and so far it was pure bliss for Erik.

Every day Gustave and Erik played the violin, even though Erik preferred the piano.

Much to Gustave's joy, Erik and Christine seemed to be joined at the hip, but for him it was not surprising.

Erik was slowly teaching Christine how to play the piano and ways to improve her voice.

Gustave could already see the changes in her singing, and he knew one day Erik would make her a prima donna. Just like her mother, he thought.

Erik, Christine, and Gustave had been staying in a little cottage in Germany. Erik painted pictures of it often, and sometimes pictures of Christine.

One day, Christine and Erik were walking through a forest when they saw a boy being mugged!

"Erik, what should we do?" Christine asked. "We can't just leave him there!"

Erik was already on it. He walked up to the teenage thugs and said, "Leave him alone, you idiots!"

They just pushed Erik down and made catcalls at Christine, and that _really_ made Erik mad!

Erik, in his anger, pulled off his mask and as soon as the boys saw him, they ran, screaming in terror!

Erik and Christine ran up to the boy who was barely awake. He had a bloody nose and black eye.

Christine and Erik noticed first, though, that he was an odd-skinned boy with jade eyes and a funny looking hat on his head.

The boy took one look at Erik and said, "Nice face, kid, though I doubt I look any better. Thanks for the help."

As Erik tried to help him stand, he asked, "What's your name?"

The boy looked at him and smiled. "Nadir. Nadir Khan."

They slowly helped him limp to the cottage and when Gustave saw them, he gasped.

"What happened here? Who is this and why is he bleeding?"

Nadir chose this moment to black out.

When he came to, he found Erik sitting by his bedside, his mask replaced. A tall glass of water and a delicious-looking bowl of broth were by his bedside.

Christine and Gustave entered the room. Erik sat up in surprise and shouted, "I WAS NOT ASLEEP!"

Gustave and Christine cracked up and Erik gave Nadir a look that said, "Let's pretend that didn't happen."

"Now, young man," Gustave said kindly, "my children told me you were mugged and it seems they broke your arm."

Nadir now noticed the bulging cast on his left elbow.

Gustave sat on the end of the bed and continued. "If you don't mind my asking, where are your parents?"

Nadir looked at the three concerned faces and said, "My mother is back home in Persia and my father has been locked up here in Germany. That's why I am here, to find him and bring him home!"

"Well, you are welcome to stay here, if you do not have a place to stay." Gustave smiled.

"No, no," Nadir mumbled. "I am staying with my aunt Kiara until I find Father."

"Well at least let me inform her that you were hurt and are staying with me and my family for the moment," Gustave offered.

"All right." Nadir smiled. "Thank you...Uh, what's your name?"

"Gustave," he said, smiling. "And this is my lovely daughter Christine and my talented boy, Erik."

They both smiled and said, "How do you do?"

"Now," Gustave said, addressing Erik and Christine. "I want you to watch him carefully and make sure he is comfortable."

Gustave left to find Nadir's aunt and Christine went to her room.

"So," Nadir began, "You're not his real son, are you?"

Erik looked surprised. "Is it that obvious? I mean, I know I am deformed, but I thought no one would realize."

"It's pretty obvious," Nadir confirmed. He pointed to a picture of Christine's mother on the wall. "I am guessing that is Christine's mother, because the resemblance is noticeable, and you look nothing like her or Gustave."

"Yes, that's her mother," Erik replied. "Gustave told me she died of tuberculosis and that he did not want Christine to know yet, being so young."

"I understand," Nadir said as Christine walked back into the room, smiling, and she asked Nadir, "How old are you?"

Nadir smiled and said, "I will be thirteen this September. Why do you want to know?"

"Because I thought maybe me and Erik could play you a lullaby, so you could sleep," she said.

"That would be nice. Thank you," Nadir said and Erik pulled out his violin from the corner and Christine began to sing:

"I'm as mild and as meek as a mouse  
>When I hear a command I obey.<br>But I know of a spot in my house  
>where no one can stand in my way.<br>In my own little corner, in my own little chair  
>I can be whatever I want to be.<br>On the wings of my fancy I can fly anywhere  
>and the world will open its arms to me.<br>I'm a young Norwegian princess or a milkmaid  
>I'm the greatest prima donna in Milan<br>I'm an heiress who has always had her silk made  
>By her own flock of silkworms in Japan<br>I'm a girl men go mad for, love's a game I can play with  
>cool and confident kind of air.<br>Just as long as I stay in my own little corner  
>All alone in my own little chair, In my chair.<p>

Christine and Erik closed the door quietly, smiling as Nadir snored rather loudly and they tried not to laugh.

Okay, I added Nadir into the mix just to see where it would take the story, and I made him a lot older than Erik because I thought due to the fact he was wiser than Erik in Kay's book that he would be a lot older than Erik. My thanks to Brandy in _Cinderella_ for the song "In My Own Little Corner." Please R&R


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**AN: Sorry Updates took so long I have been very busy lately.**

It had been six years since Erik had come to live with Gustave and Christine and they were getting ready to celebrate Erik's 15th birthday.

Nadir, not long after finding and freeing his father from prison, decided to stay with his aunt Kiara so he could stay with his new friends.

Kiara, who had been told about Erik's mother, looked at Erik as a loving son and treated him with the utmost respect, even though she had seen his face.

"Christine," Nadir asked as he ran up to the girl, "have you seen Erik? I just wanted to wish him a happy birthday."

Nadir noticed the small blush on Christine's cheeks at the mention of Erik as she pointed up to the tree she was reading under.

Nadir burst out laughing at the sight of a disheveled Erik trying to get his leather mask back from a crow that was bigger than his head!

Nadir noted he was losing the fight and shouted up to him, "Having a fun birthday, Erik?"

Christine just blushed deeper and Erik quietly glared down at him.

Finally bored, the crow dropped the mask into Christine's lap and flew off.

Christine stood and handed the mask back to Erik as he climbed down.

Nadir saw how they were looking at each other and smirked at Erik.

Erik said, annoyed, "Do not tell Gustave about the crow, Nadir!"

"Why not?" Nadir said chuckling. "I also think he would like to hear about how you two are making puppy eyes at each other." Nadir laughed at the sight of their guilty faces and added, "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me!"

Nadir walked back to the cottage, saying to Erik along the way, "Do you think they will notice if I swipe some frosting off the cake with a spoon?"

Erik laughed and Christine said, irritated, "Nadir, you know I always said Erik would rub off on you one day; he tried to swipe icing last year. Remember?"

Erik and Nadir said at the same time, "No."

Christine sighed and said, "Papa caught him and gave him such a scolding it would make even the bravest man feel ashamed."

Erik nudged Nadir and said, grinning, "Save some frosting for me."

Nadir, Erik, and Christine stepped into the cottage and Nadir ran off to the kitchen discreetly as Christine felt two arms wrap around her waist.

Erik whispered into her hair, "I hope Nadir keeps his mouth shut about us around Gustave or I will most likely be lectured even harder!"

"You?" Christine asked. "Imagine what it would be like for me!"

She turned to face him and kissed his lips lightly as Erik said, "Do you love me, Christine?"

Christine was just about to answer when her father stepped into the room. Gustave had been terribly sick lately, always coughing and wheezing. Despite the fact he assured his family he was fine, he knew he was dying, but suddenly walking into a room where his twelve year old daughter was wrapped in the arms of a boy he considered a son was, to say the least, a big shock!

Not prepared for what he saw, Gustave Da'ae crumpled to the floor.

Much to Erik and Christine's horror, when they ran up to him they noticed a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth. When Erik realized what it meant, he yelled for help and Kiara and Nadir ran into the room.

Nadir had a spoon hidden behind his back, but it clattered to the floor at the sight of Gustave.

Erik said suddenly, desperately, "Christine go get Doctor Ricardo; he is the closet doctor to the village!"

Christine nodded and ran out the door as Kiara and Nadir helped Erik carry Gustave to his room.

Christine came back fifteen minutes later with Doctor Ricardo. Doctor Ricardo walked into the room, where Erik sat at a now-conscious Gustave's bedside.

The doctor took one look at Erik and grinned at him with yellow teeth. Nadir once told Erik that Doctor Ricardo had been raised among Gypsies and that his brother owned a travelling freak show. Erik did not like this doctor because when Erik was eleven years old, he caught a fever. Doctor Ricardo came to tend to Erik and at the sight of the boy's face, he offered to take Erik under his wing as a doctor's apprentice. Erik refused, knowing what the doctor really had in mind.

As the doctor finished examining, Gustave he looked grim, but was really trying not to smile as he told the small family the news. "I am so sorry to say to all of you, but Monsieur Da'ae is dying and probably won't live through the night."

Christine started to sob uncontrollably and Erik slowly rocked her in his arms, quietly singing to her. Nadir and his aunt had sat down and Nadir was trying his best not to cry as his aunt rubbed his back.

Nadir let Erik and Christine go into Gustave's room, because he knew Gustave would want to say good-bye to them.

Gustave was lying in bed with the curtains closed and a single candle lighting the room.

Christine sobbed into her father's hand and Erik took off his mask to prevent his tears from drenching it.

"Christine," Gustave whispered hoarsely, "you have been the light of my life since your mother, Melinda, passed but remember: even though you cannot see us, we will be there for you. When I am in heaven, I will send the angel of music to protect you both."

Nadir watched from the doorway and Gustave said to him jokingly, "Stay away from that cake after I am gone, young man!"

Nadir, unable to hold it in, ran from the room crying.

Finally, Gustave turned to Erik and said, touching his unmasked face, "My boy, my wonderful son, never ever let people belittle you because of your face. What you have on the inside is more important than what is on the outside!"

Erik nodded as he felt Gustave's hand start to slip from one of his.

Gustave continued, starting to cough more, "I am sending both you and Christine to live with my widowed sister, Antoinette Giry. She will take you to the Paris Opera House to live and train with her." As he started to fade into the unknown Christine and Erik heard him whisper, "Melinda," and then Gustave stopped breathing.

Erik held Christine for hours until she fell asleep, crying in his arms. Knowing she would want to be alone, he trudged up to his room but as soon as he entered, he was knocked unconscious.

When he awoke, Erik looked around, still groggy.

He looked down and saw he was dressed only in his pants. He immediately covered his face as the realization dawned on him that his mask was gone! He tried to move only to realize he was chained to a cage! Then it hit him like a ton of bricks as to what happened:

He had become a freak!

**AN: Hey everyone just wanted to point out that there will be some elements from the movie and maybe the musical.**

**And I am so sorry this chapter was sad but please R&R.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

When Christine woke up the next morning, she thought, "God, what a horrid dream!"

Then the events of the previous night came back to her, she began to sob as she realized she was an orphan.

But I am not totally alone, Christine thought. I still have Erik.

As if in agreement, Sasha, their old spaniel, barked happily.

Christine wiped a few tears away as she hugged Sasha, who would be going to live with Nadir and his aunt.

Not wanting to be alone, she walked up to Erik's room to see how he was handling her papa's death.

The room was empty. "Erik?" Christine called. "Are you in here?"

No answer, so she looked all over the house, searching for him but to no avail.

Finally, Christine went into the Kitchen and found a note addressed to her on the table.

It said, not at all in Erik's handwriting:

_Dear Christine,_

_I know you are probably worried sick about me, but don't worry I have run away to the circus to start my own life, and I am sorry to tell you this but I don't need a woman such as yourself tying me down from life's possibilities, so goodbye, my dear_

_Erik._

Christine cried even harder after she read the note. Erik loved her. He would never have left her her to join a circus!

But as Madam Giry arrived to take her to her new home, Christine began to believe she would never see Erik again.

**Erik**, **two weeks later**

It had been several weeks since Erik had been dubbed "The Devil's Child" at the freak show and he was miserable!

Erik was forced to sleep in a germ-infested cage where people would come just to see him whipped by his master and also to see his deformed face!

Erik grunted in pain as his bleeding whip marks made contact with his filthy straw bed.

Erik was forced to wear a sack on his head when performances were not on, because his master said no one would get to see his face unless they paid for it.

Erik felt miserable at the thought of Christine being all alone in that huge opera house with no source of comfort. He buried his face in his hands and thought, Oh, God, Christine, I love you so much but how will I ever get out and back to you?

One day, after a grueling performance and with Erik's back bleeding like hell he spotted a figure in the crowds. He snarled as he realized the figure was Dr. Ricardo, coming to spot his handiwork.

"Well, well, well," Ricardo said, leering. "If it isn't The Devil's Child."

"What do you want, you bastard?" Erik cried, holding the bars of the cage to stand.

"Oh, Erik," the Doctor said. "Can't I just check and see how my favorite patient is doing?"

"Go to hell!" Erik spat.

"Come now, Erik," Dr. Ricardo taunted. "You should at least let me treat your back!"

When Erik didn't respond Dr. Ricardo found another way to push his buttons. "You know, I should be heading back to the opera house anyway. I have a certain chorus girl on my plate who is just delectable!"

Erik paled visibly and he said, "If you are talking about Christine, you keep your filthy self away from her!"

"Don't worry Erik. She came on to me."

Erik screamed in rage, "YOU'RE LYING!"

"No, my boy. She needed comfort when she found out you abandoned her and she came to me telling me that she desired me." Dr. Ricardo smiled as Erik backed away from the cage in shock and sat down with tears in his eyes.

As the Doctor left, smirking at Erik, a young girl walked up to the cage. She had overheard the entire conversation.

She began to sing quietly to Erik, to ease his tears"

"**Hush now, my baby**

**Be still love, don't cry**

**Sleep as you're rocked by the stream**

**Sleep and remember**

**My last lullaby**

**And I'll be with you when you dream**

**Drift on a river**

**That flows through my arms**

**Drift as I'm singing to you**

**I see you smiling**

**So peaceful and calm**

**And holding you, I'm smiling, too**

**Here in my arms**

**Safe from all harm**

**Holding you, I'm smiling, too**

**Hush now, my baby**

**Be still, love, don't cry**

**Sleep as you're rocked by the stream**

**Sleep and remember this river lullaby**

**And I'll be with you when you dream**

**I'll be with you when you dream."**

Erik looked up at the smiling eleven year old as she said, "My name is Diana Toulouse. You don't seem like a child of the devil at all!"

Erik looked up at her and said, "Do you perform here?" He noticed for the first time that she wore gloves.

Diana smiled and said, "My attraction doesn't make as much money as yours, so they let me around free range. I am also the ticket-taker. You see, I was born with lion paws instead of hands." She removed her glove to show a hairless lion paw with claws.

Erik held the bars of the cage with pleading eyes and said, "Diana, please, you have to go to the Paris Opera House and find my friend, Christine. Her father died and she doesn't know that I was kidnapped. For all I know, Dr. Ricardo could be right and she does think I left her!"

"I am very sorry, Erik, but I can't help you. Papa would whip me to death if I left. Even talking to you is jeopardizing my safety, and yours!"

"Then help me escape when we reach Paris. Please, she needs me!"

"I am sorry, Erik, but like I said, Ricardo would kill us both." She suddenly put a paw to her mouth at the mention of her papa's surname.

Eriks eyes widened and he said, "You're an oddity in your father's circus?"

She looked into his eyes and said, "Please, don't tell anyone. He'd kill me if he found that I'd told someone!"

Erik smirked at her. "I won't tell, but only if you find a way to free me once we reach Paris."

Diana hesitated and finally agreed. "Deal."

Since they couldn't reach each other to shake hands, they poked a stick through the bars of the cage and shook both ends of it.

_**Sorry this chapter took so long. I had severe writer's block and just could not piece this chapter together. So what will happen? Will Diana keep her promise or will she back out when the time comes? Just wait and see. R&R**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**_

_**From the Diary of Christine Annabel Daae. **_

_**"It has been nearly a whole year since Papa died and I came to live at the opera house."**_

_**"Everyone is very nice to me, especially Madam Giry (my guardian) and her daughter, Meg." **_

_**"Sadly, since Papa died, I have been nothing but a shell. I thought Erik would help me through this hard time, but he disappeared after Papa was gone!" **_

_**"I have lost my Papa, I have lost my first love, who is possibly dead, and I have lost the desire to sing and so instead Madam Giry trains me as a ballet rat." **_

_**"Meg is a sweet girl and I have told her everything about Erik and she seems to understand, but I know she has no idea what it feels like to have your heart broken." **_

_**"It's coming close to the anniversary of the day papa died and I told Meg I just want to be alone, but she insists that me and a few other girls sneak out with her tonight and go to this circus that just arrived last night."**_

_**"Truth be told, I could care less. All I wanted to do is go to the chapel and light two candles for Papa and Erik, and then cry myself to sleep, but being such a fool I couldn't refuse my only friend, because if I lose her there is no one else."**_

_"_Christine come on!" Meg said, prancing into the room.

Christine put down the book she was writing in and grabbed her sweater and coin purse, joining Meg as she literally danced into the hallway.

Meg smiled at Christine as the opera house disappeared and a circus tent rose up before them.

Christine silently had tears going down her face. As she bought her tickets from the glove-fingered girl, Meg said, "Christine, please don't cry. Is this about Erik running away to the circus?"

They didn't hear the gasp or notice the shocked look on the face of the ticket-taker as she put a gloved hand to her mouth. People just stared at Christine as she began to sob.

Meg knew it was rude, but she was happy when the first part of the show started and Christine laughed as three clowns—Hurly, Curly and Moe—came into the tent and started whacking each other in the back of the head.

The show went on for a couple hours more, with more performances, such as a ventriloquist, and a lion-pawed girl who, for some odd reason, kept staring at Christine's face with worry.

Meg realized she was the ticket-taker, and she seemed really scared.

Finally there was one act left and a big, beefy man with coal black eyes and a whip came into the center of the tent.

He said in a loud booming, well-rehearsed voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for your wonderful patronage tonight."

Christine whispered to Meg uneasily, "Why does he carry a whip?"

Meg said, not cracking a smile, "To make whipped cream," but she knew otherwise.

Christine giggled, but was still apprehensive.

Suddenly the man on stage motioned for a cage on wheels to be brought in and the two girls gasped. Inside the cage was a young man, barely dressed, covered in lashes, wearing a dirty sack on his head.

The man said loudly, "Beware the son of the devil,, his face marked by the kiss of Satin, his evil eye will turn you to stone!"

The man walked into the cage and kicked the youth's beaten form to the ground and whipped him. Then he ripped off the sack and forced the youth's face to the audience.

Meg paled considerably at the face she had seen in the pictures Christine had shown her of her lost family.

She looked over at Christine and saw tears of hate and love in her eyes, hate for the big man with the whip, and love for the poor soul in the cage.

Meg knew just by looking at Christine who that youth was.

_Erik!_


	9. Chapter 9

:Warning: Rating may go up in this chapter for violence. And the only characters I own are Nadir's aunt Kiara, Dr. Ricardo, his brother Septim, and Diana Toulouse:

Chapter 9

For the longest time, Christine stared at Erik, who was being beaten by the horrid gypsy, but when he started bleeding she ran up to the gypsy before Meg could stop her.

The gypsy raised his arm to lash Erik again, but he stopped when Christine covered his half clothed body with her trembling form.

"Stupid girl! Get off of my freak!" the gypsy snarled.

Christine just continued laying over him, and Erik was in so much pain he did not care who was protecting him; he was just grateful God had sent him this angel.

The gypsy smirked and said, "Fine. It looks like I'll have to teach you a lesson, little girl."

Meg, in a blind panic for Christine and Erik's, safety came up with a genius plan: she took some garbage from the ground and threw it at the gypsy!

When he looked at her in anger, she started shouting, "BOOO! YOU STINK! LEAVE THEM ALONE!" Meg prayed the audience would be just as sympathetic to this tragic love story.

Suddenly the audience was laughing at Meg, all because she was trying to do something nice for a freak and his love. Then the gypsy shouted to the audience, "I am sorry for the inconvenience, ladies and gentlemen. If you would gladly step outside, we will give you a full refund." The audience grumbled, but left.

Then the gypsy dragged Christine off of Erik, and started pulling her and Meg off to another smaller tent. Meg struggled endlessly, and when Christine shouted Erik's name, his eyes shot open.

"Oh, God, no! _CHRISTINE!_" Erik struggled to move, but found he was once again chained to the cage!

Meanwhile, Christine was crying as the gypsy knocked Meg unconscious, in order to make her stop moving, and they were thrown at the feet of none other than Doctor Ricardo!

Christine put the pieces together as she realized the man who had tended to her sick father must have been the one to take Erik to the freak show.

"Hello, Christine," Ricardo purred. "My, you've grown scrumptious. Well, I guess that's a ballerina's best trait, am I right?"

Ricardo looked at his brother and said, "Good job, Septim. I'll take it from here."

As soon as Septim left, Ricardo started tying Christine up and removing her clothes. Christine cried silently in the hopes that someone would save her.

Ricardo muttered to Christine, "I have no clue what a sweet little morsel like you could see in that devil's spawn."

Christine managed to say, "What I see in Erik is everything good and everything you'll never be!" before he shoved a cloth in her mouth.

All the while, Erik was silently weeping, because he could feel it in his bones that Christine was in trouble.

Erik knew Septim would most likely bring Christine and her blonde friend to Ricardo, because Septim, to put it lightly, liked guys better than girls.

Suddenly, Diana was there, jimmying the lock of the cage with her claw.

"I know where the girls are," Diana whispered, finishing up on the cage and starting on Erik's shackles. Erik stood up on shaky legs as soon as Diana said, "Follow me."

Both of them ran to Ricardo's tent and found a half-naked Christine trembling in the corner as Ricardo took a step towards her, removing his clothes!

All Erik could see was red as he tackled Ricardo to the ground, shouting, "YOU BASTARD! DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH HER AGAIN!"

Diana quietly helped Christine pick up her clothes, and they tried to wake up Meg, until they noticed her head was bleeding where Septim had struck her.

Erik got one good punch, and Ricardo went flying across the tent. He looked at Christine and asked, "Are you and your friend all right, Christine?"

Before she could respond, Diana yelled, "ERIK, CHRISTINE, LOOK OUT!"

Ricardo was charging, with his sword drawn, but Diana clawed his face, and Ricardo, in blind shock and panic, stabbed Diana through the stomach.

"DIANA, NO!" Erik cried out.

Diana just smiled at the couple, and whispered, "Go. Leave." Then she collapsed next to her bleeding father.

Erik heard voices approaching, and he picked up a still-unconscious Meg, and Christine grabbed his arm, and urged, "Quickly! To the opera house!"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Erik and Christine ran as fast as their feet could take them. Meg had not even moved, which worried Christine. By the time they reached the opera house it was late at night, and as Christine suspected Madam Giry was outside with a candle, obviously distressed by Christine and Meg's long absence.

When Madam Giry spotted the three of them, she was shocked and was trying to hold back her tears at the sight of her injured daughter.

Christine said in a hurry, "Madam, I don't think now is the time for explanations, but this is Erik, the boy I told you about. He is a fugitive and he just saved our lives, so could you help me hide him?"

Madam Giry nodded, speechless, and quickly hurried to her room and placed Meg on the bed.

When Madam was sure her daughter was still breathing, she said to Christine, "It's too late to fetch a doctor; go fetch Marcel, the violinist. His father trained him to be a doctor!"

As soon as Christine was gone, Madam focused her attention on Erik, who was looking very scared and seemed to be concerned for Meg.

Madam Giry smiled at Erik with gratitude and Erik figured in his head,_ She must not smile much_. Madam Giry looked serious again as she said to Erik, "Sit down, young man, and tell me what happened."

Erik sat across from Madam Giry and started to tell of the whole incident of him and Christine falling for each other, Gustave dying, and when Erik was kidnapped by the evil doctor and sold to the freak show he and his brother owned, and finally his and Christine's escape with Meg.

When Erik finished the tale, Madam Giry had a stern look on her face, but her eyes showed gratitude. She said to Erik, folding her hands in her lap, "I owe you my life, young man. You not only saved my daughter from being raped, you saved Christine as well, and I don't know if Gustave could forgive me if something awful befell her."

Erik looked at the unconscious Meg, saying to Madam Giry, "Gustave forgives you, Madam. He was a good man, and you don't owe me anything, but I could use a favor."

"Of course. What do you need?" Madam Giry asked.

Erik finally looked at away from Meg and back to Madam as he spoke. "The police will be looking for me and I don't want to leave Christine's side again. Is there anywhere in the opera house I could stay?"

Madam Giry replied, "There might be. I believe when they built the opera house there were five cellars that led down to an underground lake."

Suddenly Christine appeared with Marcel, a shaggy looking twenty-two-year-old whose appearance could mistake him for a stagehand or a beggar.

Marcel ran up to Meg as soon as he saw her unconscious, and Madam had a suspicion that the delicate way he cared for her injured head wasn't just from his training as a doctor.

He looked sharply at Madam Giry and told her, "She will live, but the bump on the back of her head is so nasty, she probably will be unconscious for some time, and her concussion might cause slight memory loss, though I can't say how much she won't remember."

As soon as Marcel left, Madam Giry said to Erik, "Maybe we should find you some fresh clothes, young man."

Christine put her hand in Erik's and he looked down at his angel. "Are you all right, Erik?" she asked. "Shouldn't you have those lashes on your back checked?"

Erik frowned at this and responded, "I think I have had enough of doctors to last me a lifetime."

AN: Sorry this update took so long I have been having problems at home and school has been hectic so I decided to take a break for a bit from The Wild Rose but I am back now so please R&R!


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